The next morning, Soda, my father's older brother came over to help us unpack.
"Uncle Sodapop", my brother and I hollered pummeling him in a giant hug.
" I still never see that coming", Soda laughed, "How are you kids?"
" Good", Dallas and I said at the same time.
"Hey there, kid brother", Soda said to our dad messing up his hair.
There were a lot of boxes. Sodapop and I unpack the boxes that went in the living room and kitchen. Mom, Dad, and Dallas unpacked the boxes that went in the bedrooms. They had already brought the furniture in.
"Not talking to your dad, huh?", Soda asked
"How did you know?", I asked
"I was a kid once too and I have a kid of my own", Soda chuckled, "What did your dad do this time?"
"Look in the back of the fridge", I instructed
Soda knew what i meant. "Does your mom know?"
I shrugged my shoulders.
"I don't know about you but i would talk to her", Soda said
"I just don't know why he does it", I started to cry just like i knew i would, "He is so talented as a writer but he wastes it on the booze, it's like nothing matters to him, not even us"
It was true. When Dad would drink before he used to hole up in his room and drink. He would going out drinking instead of going to dinner with the family or any other family event.
"Hey, who's turn is it to ride to lunch with me?", Sodapop asked. It was a thing we did where everytime we were in town we would go to lunch with Sodapop and one of the kids would get to ride with Sodapop, which was fun because he was so funny.
"It's Johnni's", Dallas called from his room
"Gives us more time to talk", Sodapop whispered, "We're heading out"
"Okay", my mom called.
We got in Sodapop's car.
When Dad and the others meet us at the pizza palor Soda and Dad went outside to have a talk.